QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (1 Viewer)

[Faust]

TREVOR LAWRENCE SHOWING IMPROVEMENT DESPITE JAGUARS TURMOIL

 

[Faust]

Trevor Lawrence completed 23-of-33 passes for 273 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the Jaguars' Week 5 loss to the Titans.

The Jags continued to use Lawrence in the run game, with Lawrence scoring on a designed run at the goal-line and getting a second one overturned. Lawrence's second-half play was closer to what he showed in Week 3, with the Jacksonville offense failing to convert red-zone chances and Lawrence forcing throws into coverage. The Jaguars' playcalling has centered around Lawrence, who has 21 carries over the last three weeks, and constant negative game scripts under Urban Meyer give him a high passing floor. Lawrence has a streamable Week 6 matchup against a Dolphins secondary that's coming off a five touchdown game to Tom Brady.

Oct 10, 2021, 4:46 PM ET

 

[Faust]

Trevor Lawrence completed 25-of-41 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown in Jacksonville's Week 6 win over Miami.

The Jaguars got their first win under Urban Meyer on a last second field goal that Lawrence set up with a fourth-down conversion. Lawrence, who completed 70% of his passes in Week 5, continued to show improvements, though he had a turnover on a sack-fumble in the second half that let Miami back in the game. Lawrence's touchdown was a perfectly placed back-shoulder fade into tight coverage to Marvin Jones. He didn't have as much of a role in the run game this week, rushing for 11 yards on four carries and picking up a first down. Lawrence has shown signs of a breakout the last three weeks and should continue to see pass heavy game scripts going forward. He gets a matchup with Seattle after Jacksonville's Week 7 bye. 

Oct 17, 2021, 1:13 PM ET

 

[Faust]

Here's what the critics are saying about Trevor Lawrence after 6 games in the NFL

 

[Faust]

Trevor Lawrence showcased improvement after first Jaguars win

 

[Faust]

Trevor Lawrence completed 32-of-54 passes for 238 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the Jaguars' 7-31, Week 8 loss to the Seahawks.

Lawrence was quiet as a runner, adding 11 yards on three carries. It was a disastrous outing for Lawrence and the entire Jacksonville offense. He averaged 4.4 yards per pass attempt, largely due to the Jaguars' game-plan revolving around check-downs and short passes. Carlos Hyde, Jamal Agnew and Dan Arnold combined for 30 targets while Marvin Jones saw just seven looks. Jacksonville also lost yardage on a pair of delay of game penalties and used a timeout to avoid a third. When Lawrence did look deep, it wasn't pretty. He badly underthrew Tavon Austin and a long throw that was intercepted by Quandre Diggs. Lawrence has struggled throughout his rookie year and gets a difficult matchup with the Bills next week. Buffalo's defense entered Week 8 allowing the fewest passing yards per game. Lawrence is nothing more than a mid-QB2 as we cross the halfway point of the season. 

Oct 31, 2021, 9:32 PM ET

 

[Rubi]

Lawrence is being held back by a horrible coaching staff. Not saying The Jags would win more games with their talent level,but the games would be more competative with better coaching.

 

[zamboni]

Lawrence is being held back by a horrible coaching staff.

I don't disagree, plus his surrounding weapons are not exactly top tier. That said, some of it has to go on Trevor himself. He still seems to be making decisions that may have worked against Georgia Tech and Syracuse, but not in the NFL. 

Whether Meyer is there are not, have to expect a big upgrade in the WR/TE room next year.

 

[The Frankman]

Trevor Lawrence completed 15-of-26 attempts for 118 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions in the Jaguars' 9-6, Week 9 win over the Bills, adding four yards on three carries.

Lawrence was briefly knocked out of the game with an ankle injury. C.J. Beathard attempted two passes in relief of Lawrence, as the rookie was in the locker room. Lawrence returned to the game just before half time, finishing out the half and then the game. Lawrence did not look particularly impressive, despite demonstrating some toughness by finishing out the game. Most notably, Lawrence missed Marvin Jones badly, wide down the sideline for a would-be game sealing touchdown. Lawrence will be a QB2 against the Colts in Week 10.

- NBC SportsEDGE

 

[Faust]

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports Trevor Lawrence suffered a low ankle sprain and will be limited in practice this week. 

Lawrence by all accounts avoided a serious ankle injury in the Jaguars' Week 9 upset win over Buffalo. C.J. Beathard came in for Lawrence and threw two passes before the rookie re-entered the game. Lawrence ended with 118 scoreless yards against Buffalo. Barring a setback in practice, he should be able to suit up in Week 10 against the Colts. Lawrence shouldn't be rostered in any one-QB leagues. 

RELATED: 

C.J. Beathard

SOURCE: Ian Rapoport on Twitter

 

[Faust]

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports Trevor Lawrence "should be fine this week" after suffering a low ankle sprain in Week 9.

Lawrence briefly exited the Jags' Week 9 upset of the Bills but he was able to return after getting the injured ankle taped. Rapoport noted that x-rays revealed "very limited to no damage." Lawrence is fully expected to play in Week 10 but he could see his rushing volume take a take back as a precautionary measure. He currently sits as the QB26 in total points, meaning he was hardly a starting fantasy option in Superflex leagues. Any reduction in rushing output will take him off the fantasy radar entirely.

SOURCE: Ian Rapoport on Twitter

Nov 8, 2021, 2:34 PM ET

 

[Faust]

Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer said Trevor Lawrence (ankle) will play in Week 10 against the Colts. 

Lawrence appeared to suffer a serious ankle injury in last week's win against Buffalo but got in some limited work at practice this week and is expected to be under center against Indianapolis. Lawrence, who's scored 19 combined fantasy points over his past two games, is a desperation streamer against a Colts defense giving up 71.2 percent of its yardage through the air. 

SOURCE: Michael DiRocco on Twitter 

Nov 12, 2021, 10:27 AM ET

 

[Faust]

Weight of Jacksonville Jaguars' offense is all on Trevor Lawrence's shoulders

 

[Faust]

What Jaguars must do to help struggling Trevor Lawrence; Cowboys' Micah Parsons for DPOY?

Excerpt:

What's wrong with Trevor Lawrence?

That is the question running rampant in the scouting community after watching the Jacksonville Jaguars QB's performance in the first 10 games of his rookie season.

The first overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft is languishing near the bottom of the charts in completion percentage (58.4, 31st), pass yards per attempt (6.0, 33rd), touchdown-to-interception ratio (8:9, 30th) and passer rating (72.8, 31st) among the 34 players with at least 150 pass attempts this season, per Next Gen Stats. His 13 giveaways are tied for the third-most in the NFL, and he has gone three straight contests without throwing a touchdown pass or reaching 170 yards passing.

After being billed as a generational talent since early in his college career at Clemson, Lawrence's play for the Jaguars has led to questions about his talent, potential and long-term development.

However, before we get too carried away with our critiques, I believe we should keep his struggles in perspective. Don't overlook the fact that he is adjusting to the pro game while playing for a franchise that has produced only one winning season since 2008. Lawrence did not step into an organization with a winning pedigree or an established blueprint for developing a franchise quarterback. In addition, the team is being led by a longtime college coach who had no prior NFL experience. That is not a jab at Urban Meyer, but the rookie head coach is still adjusting to a game vastly different from the college football landscape that he dominated for the better part of two decades.

Lawrence has certainly flashed the A+ talent that made evaluators drool over his potential throughout a decorated Clemson career, but he has also made some poor throws and questionable decisions that have led to turnovers. Some of those struggles should be expected from an ultra-competitive quarterback attempting to put the team on his back before he is ready to take on the responsibility of being the ultimate leader and franchise player. If Lawrence remains patient while adjusting to the complexities of NFL defenses and the speed of defenders, he has more than enough talent to dominate at his position over the next decade.

The Jaguars will need to take some steps to help him maximize his potential, though, and that means upgrading his supporting cast. If you are a regular listener to the Move The Sticks podcast, you have heard my colleague Daniel Jeremiah and I discuss the importance of the three Ps -- protection, playmakers and play-callers -- to a young quarterback. The great teams prioritize improving in each of those areas to ensure the QB is comfortable and able to flourish without feeling the need to put the weight of the world on his shoulders.

When I review the game tape and look at the Jaguars' depth chart, I see a roster that isn't quite where it needs to be for Lawrence to perform at an all-star level. I anticipated some of these issues while studying the team throughout the preseason as the Jags' color analyst, but I thought the offensive line and running back James Robinson were good enough for Jacksonville to be able to rely on a blue-collar running game to alleviate some of the pressure on the quarterback. I was wrong. The team's running game is a middling unit, and a lack of offensive balance has forced Lawrence to throw against defenses waiting on the passing game. While this limits the overall effectiveness of play-action passes, the Jaguars still have not called nearly enough movement plays from under-center alignments (more on that in a little bit). And the inconsistent ground game has prevented the young quarterback from throwing on manageable downs.

Digging deeper into Lawrence's woes as a passer, I believe the lack of playmakers on the perimeter might be a bigger issue than the offensive line. The Jaguars do not have a top-50 receiver in the lineup. The lack of speed and play-making ability on the field makes it hard for the rookie to produce explosive plays in the passing game. The primary pass catchers are unable to separate from tight coverage down the field, and the small windows available to Lawrence remind me of tossing softballs into milk cans at the state fair. In other words, he has a tiny margin for error. He has to throw a perfect ball to get a completion or it will be batted away by defenders draped over his intended target.

Perhaps things would have been different if WR D.J. Chark had not suffered a broken ankle back in September, but Jacksonville needs multiple B+ (or better) pass catchers on the perimeter to help Lawrence find his rhythm as a passer. Just look at the playmakers the Bills have surrounded Josh Allen with (Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, Dawson Knox and Emmanuel Sanders) or the crew the Chargers have put together around Justin Herbert (Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler and Jared Cook). It's not a coincidence that those two young gunslingers are having success and leading winning teams.

The Jaguars should also examine the system the rookie is being asked to play in. As an RPO playmaker at Clemson, Lawrence threw a number of quick tosses and bubble screens off run-action to compile gaudy numbers as a pinpoint passer. Perhaps Meyer should consider baking some of those concepts into the Jaguars' playbook to help the 22-year-old build confidence by knocking down some layups that are created by the scheme.

The team also needs to better utilize Lawrence's athleticism by featuring more movement passes (bootlegs, sprint-outs and rollouts) to change the launch point of the passing game while also providing the rookie with easier throws away from the middle of the field. That suggestion is not a knock on Lawrence's diagnostic skills or his football intelligence; it's simply an easy way to add some high-percentage plays to a playbook that currently features too many throws with a high degree of difficulty. I am sure offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell is looking to do everything in his power to make the game easier for Lawrence, but more movement throws could help unlock the young passer's superpowers.

It remains to be seen if the Jaguars will make the necessary moves to help Lawrence flourish as a franchise quarterback, but the coaching staff and front office need to huddle up and find a way to get him going if they're going to contend for a playoff spot in the near future.

 

[wgoldsph]

What Jaguars must do to help struggling Trevor Lawrence; Cowboys' Micah Parsons for DPOY?

Excerpt:

Fire Meyer and hire a compitent coach

 

[Faust]

To help Trevor Lawrence develop, Jacksonville Jaguars must upgrade WR corps during offseason

 

[Faust]

Trevor Lawrence completed 16-of-28 passes for 145 yards in Jacksonville's 37-7 Week 13 embarrassment by the Rams.

Lawrence was 6-of-12 with three drops in the first half, being kept uncomfortable on every possession outside of Jacksonville's one (and surprising) 73-yard scoring drive culminating in Carlos Hyde's one-yard touchdown run. Clearly in a funk with no talent around him, Lawrence has averaged 5.0 YPA with two total touchdowns in six games since the team's bye. The Jaguars have also lost four straight and have averaged 12 points per game during that span, moving to 2-10 after Sunday. The nightmare continues in Week 14 against the Titans.

Dec 6, 2021, 7:32 AM ET

 

[The Frankman]

Trevor Lawrence completed 24-of-40 passes for 221 yards and four interceptions in the Jaguars' Week 14 loss to the Titans.

Lawrence’s nightmare rookie season continued in Week 14, as the first overall pick threw four interceptions in a shutout loss. Lawrence’s first pick wasn’t his fault, as a well-thrown ball bounced off the hands of Laviska Shenault and into the arms of an awaiting defender, but there are still no excuses for a four-turnover day. Jacksonville is in utter disarray, although there’s no better way to right the ship than a home game against the Texans, which they fortunately have on tap next weekend. Lawrence is not a strong fantasy option for Week 15 despite the enticing matchup.

- NBC SportsEDGE

 

[zed2283]

At one point the score was 10-0 and Jacksonville had a 7-26 run-pass ratio.

 

[zeeshan2]

Yeesh what an awful season for him. 4 picks today, one td in his last 6 games. Yuck 

 

[Ghost Rider]

Will be interesting to see how he does next season once he gets a real NFL head coach.  Bad beat for him getting stuck as a rookie with a college coach who is clueless about coaching in the NFL. 

 

[drummer]

His Subway commercial eating a footlong while running his hand through his hair is more woke than anything Polamalu.

 

[Dizzy]

Will be interesting to see how he does next season once he gets a real NFL head coach.  Bad beat for him getting stuck as a rookie with a college coach who is clueless about coaching in the NFL. 

No guarantees... can't fire the Owner.

 

[drummer]

can't fire the Owner.

Not while fans still engage and buy the product.

 

[zamboni]

Will be interesting to see how he does next season once he gets a real NFL head coach.  Bad beat for him getting stuck as a rookie with a college coach who is clueless about coaching in the NFL. 

If Khan doesn’t have the conviction to dump Meyer, Lawrence may go down as one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. Who knows how much of Trevor’s confidence he’s already destroyed.

 

[Drake Hater]

If Khan doesn’t have the conviction to dump Meyer, Lawrence may go down as one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. Who knows how much of Trevor’s confidence he’s already destroyed.

It's possible having as bad a HC as Meyer insulates his confidence from being wrecked. If reported mutiny levels are accurate (and they probably are), the assistant coaches and teammates are probably in his ear telling him just to wait this nonsense out. 

 

[TartanLion]

I’m honestly surprised that more college QBs don’t do an Eli Manning and just take the negative rep and say nah no thanks draft me if you want but I won’t be destroying my career at your ball club thanks. Of course it leaves you open to NFL evaluators coming out with all the classic ‘ negative character traits’ bla bla, but how would Lawrence be doing if drafted by the Pats or 9ers right now ? 

This isn’t basketball where a player can basically go to any club in the league and be 1 of 5 players on the floor and still just ball out despite bad coaches and talent around them. Some of these guys careers live or die by a process that is  massively out-with their control 

 

[zamboni]

If Khan doesn’t have the conviction to dump Meyer, Lawrence may go down as one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. Who knows how much of Trevor’s confidence he’s already destroyed.

It's possible having as bad a HC as Meyer insulates his confidence from being wrecked. If reported mutiny levels are accurate (and they probably are), the assistant coaches and teammates are probably in his ear telling him just to wait this nonsense out. 

You may be right. But no matter what the future hope looks like, it can’t help one’s psyche by having such dreadfully bad  success on the field after never having lost a game in college or HS.

 

[Dizzy]

I’m honestly surprised that more college QBs don’t do an Eli Manning and just take the negative rep and say nah no thanks draft me if you want but I won’t be destroying my career at your ball club thanks. Of course it leaves you open to NFL evaluators coming out with all the classic ‘ negative character traits’ bla bla, but how would Lawrence be doing if drafted by the Pats or 9ers right now ?

Thanks, was thinking the same thing. Too much on the line for these "generational talents" (words I have seen to describe Lawrence and yes - I know the phrase gets thrown around a lot these days).

Eli, Elway, George... I don't blame them at all for not wanting to throw themselves onto a bonfire. Tough spot for the fans to accept, but as others have noted - a truly terrible situation can (and has) ruined potential franchise QBs before they take their first snap.

 

[G-King]

Thanks, was thinking the same thing. Too much on the line for these "generational talents" (words I have seen to describe Lawrence and yes - I know the phrase gets thrown around a lot these days).

Eli, Elway, George... I don't blame them at all for not wanting to throw themselves onto a bonfire. Tough spot for the fans to accept, but as others have noted - a truly terrible situation can (and has) ruined potential franchise QBs before they take their first snap.

David Carr comes to mind.

 

[Faust]

The Jaguars might have a Trevor Lawrence problem, too

 

[zamboni]

I can totally see Trevor finally going off this weekend post-Urban and against the equally hapless Texans. 

 

[Faust]

Trevor Lawrence: Constant drama around Jaguars needs to change

 

[zeeshan2]

Still terrible; I don't know the last time a QB has been this bad in his first year and then turned it around outside of Peyton and Josh Allen

 

[rockaction]

He's making the Zach Wilson pick look palatable. They've both been just terrible this year. Perhaps they need a year or two and a supporting cast. I know history isn't on their side, but this guy has won at every level. 

 

[Saint]

No picks in the Houston game, but the defense played fairly poor.  The sub 60% completion record is disturbing though.  Hard to say if it's too many changing items in the offense with the switch from Meyer.  I think he needs to settle in and get a better control of the offense.  Going to take some weeks.

 

[zamboni]

Still terrible; I don't know the last time a QB has been this bad in his first year and then turned it around outside of Peyton and Josh Allen

I think the only hope for Trevor is that the Jags hire a QB guru, a la Daboll who turned Allen around, and get at least two proven big time vets (e.g, Adams, Godwin) to help the kid out. Even then I’m not convinced the so-called experts just whiffed on calling him a generational talent by focusing on his past success.

 

[Dizzy]

Still terrible; I don't know the last time a QB has been this bad in his first year and then turned it around outside of Peyton and Josh Allen

I'm inclined to write-off rookie QB seasons for the most part - although I have to admit, in the very limited action I have seen of JAX this year, I cannot recall any "wow" moments from Lawrence.

It's arguably the hardest job in sports... which is why I like to see rookie QBs sit for most (if not all) of their first season). There are exceptions, but even the best seem overwhelmed upon entry into the NFL. I would prefer that teams make sure their OL play is stout before throwing them in there, because it's easy to wreck a guy... we've seen that repeated many times.

 

[zamboni]

I'm inclined to write-off rookie QB seasons for the most part - although I have to admit, in the very limited action I have seen of JAX this year, I cannot recall any "wow" moments from Lawrence.

It's arguably the hardest job in sports... which is why I like to see rookie QBs sit for most (if not all) of their first season). There are exceptions, but even the best seem overwhelmed upon entry into the NFL. I would prefer that teams make sure their OL play is stout before throwing them in there, because it's easy to wreck a guy... we've seen that repeated many times.

Fair points. I think the NFL coaching mindset has changed a bit given a lot of these guys are coming from pro-style offenses, the high amount of draft and financial capital paid up front, and occasional success by other rookie QBs (like recently, Herbert and Burrow, and now Mac Jones). 

But putting these guys in a system/position to succeed can’t be underestimated, and Lawrence/Wilson/Fields did not have that luxury. Maybe Lance will be better off next year because he got to learn and watch a good system.

 

[Faust]

Trevor Lawrence has an adjusted downfield completion rate of 32.1 percent this season. 

Only Jared Goff has been worse on throws of at least 20 yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus. Lawrence -- who's gone four weeks without throwing a touchdown -- has completed a hideous 16 of 56 deep passes for four touchdowns and six picks in his disastrous rookie season. Lawrence has operated as a check-down artist through most of 2021, ranking 23rd in deep ball rate. Losing deep-ball target DJ Chark in the first half of the season didn't help matters, but Lawrence's top-end potential as an NFL quarterback has to be questioned after such a consistently lousy rookie campaign. He's not a viable fantasy option. 

Dec 27, 2021, 10:39 AM ET

 

[Faust]

Belichick evaluates Jaguars rookie QB Trevor Lawrence: 'He'll be a solid NFL player, maybe great'

 

[Faust]

Jaguars Spending Money to Upgrade Trevor Lawrence's Pass-Catching Weapons

 

[CamelGod]

There’s a significant lack of anything to say on this guy, it seems. Any excitement with Peterson at coach? New weapons? Best QB SOS for the season?

 

[King of the Jungle]

There’s a significant lack of anything to say on this guy, it seems. Any excitement with Peterson at coach? New weapons? Best QB SOS for the season?

It is almost like he is a rookie again but this time he has a decent coach to guide him through it. Urban Meyer is a pile and probably set the kid back along with his disappointing surrounding cast. His upside is still sky high IMO and I think he is a good value in redraft and dynasty today.

 

[zamboni]

There’s a significant lack of anything to say on this guy, it seems. Any excitement with Peterson at coach? New weapons? Best QB SOS for the season?

Hoping the quiet talk continues through the offseason and into training camp. I think a lot of owners will still shy away from him given the disaster last year and may be an opportunity to draft him at good value, especially in Superflex leagues.

 

[kneeshooter]

Hoping the quiet talk continues through the offseason and into training camp. I think a lot of owners will still shy away from him given the disaster last year and may be an opportunity to draft him at good value, especially in Superflex leagues.

Was happy to get him and an early 2022 second for Mac Jones, Goff and Devante Parker

Urban Meyer was potentially the worst hire in NFL history, there was no way Lawrence was producing in all that disfunction. Glad they hired an ex qb  to run the show. Look at the improvement in Goff from Fisher to McVay, a good coach can make all the difference.

 

[Faust]

Jags GM Trent Baalke says Trevor Lawrence is playing with more confidence

 

[TheDirtyWord]

Hoping the quiet talk continues through the offseason and into training camp. I think a lot of owners will still shy away from him given the disaster last year and may be an opportunity to draft him at good value, especially in Superflex leagues.

As soon as he starts showing signs of life though, FF community will jump back on.  HIs draft stature was in the Peyton/Luck category.

Don't think there is a legit FF player who won't give him a mulligan for 2021.  

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Mike Clay@MikeClayNFL

From 2011-20, 7 Round 1 rookie QBs threw for >3,400 yards. Only 1 fell short of 3,800 in Year 2 (The exception was Carson Wentz, who was on pace to hit it pre-injury).

Mac Jones and Trevor Lawrence cleared 3,400 yards last season.

 

[Faust]

Jaguars offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said Trevor Lawrence is making quicker decisions this offseason. 

Changing plays at the line of scrimmage is a new development for Lawrence, who in 2021 quarterbacked a Jacksonville offense coached by the clueless Urban Meyer. Lawrence said last year "was really my first time really dealing with checking in and out of things, getting us in the right play, good matchup, route, whatever it is." In OTAs and minicamps, this offseason, Lawrence has demonstrated his ability to adjust to defenses. Tweaking plays on the fly and playing faster should make the Jaguars offense far superior to the predictable, inefficient Jacksonville offense of 2021. With a professional at head coach this season, Lawrence should be able to take a second-year leap that could make him a sneaky good selection in superflex formats. 

SOURCE: SI.com 

Jul 1, 2022, 11:14 AM ET